Internal combustion engine distributor



Oct. 9, 1956 R. B. SHEWEY ETAL 2,765,339

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE DISTRIBUTOR Filed Oct. 26, 1953 INVENTOR.

Robert 8.5/10way Tbeqdo'ra Kary ATTORNEY.

United States Patent INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE DISTRIBUTOR Robert B. Shewey and Theodore Kai-y, Spokane, Wash. Application October 26, 1953, Serial No. 388,131 Claims. (Cl. 200-26) This invention relates to improvements in electrical circuit breakers for the distributor system of an internal combustion engine.

This invention is particularly effective in the ignition circuit of an automobile and it is, therefore, one object a minimum amount of wear and to avoid destruction of the circuit making and breaking faces by means of the presently common electric spark.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved circuit breaker which is designed to be applied to the conventional distributor mechanisms with a minimum amount of effort and labor.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of adjusting means for the improved circuit breaker whereby the elements thereof may be properly located relative to each other.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a distributor having its cap removed and showing the improved circuit breaker associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse cross section as at line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross section taken through the distributor and the improved circuit breaker at substantially the vertical center; I

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of one of the circuit breaker elements having part-s broken away for convenience of illustration; and V Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the arm portion of the element shown in Figure 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, we have shown a conventional six cylinder automobile distributor which includes the usual annular housing 11 including a supporting plate 12 to which is secured the conventional condenser 13 and a vertically disposed pivot journal pin 14. Extending upwardly through the plate 12 is the engine powered rotatable distributor shaft 15 which is adapted to receive the spark distributor element (not shown) on its upper end 16. Shaft 15 rotates clockwise when viewed in plan as indicated by the arrow shown in Figure I. Said distributor element cooperates with the plurality of contacts conventionally carried by the dis tributor head or cover (not shown) which carries the 2 Wires to the spark plugs of the engine, all of which is conventional and well known in the art.

Our invention resides in two separate elements of the primary circuit which includes the spark coil and an energizing battery. These elements are shown to be a rotor 17 constituting one element of the primary electrical circuit and a second element 18 of the circuit which may be termed the stator, even though in fact the second element may have movement.

As shown in the drawing, the rotor 17 is provided with a plurality of electrically interconnected circumferentially spaced radially presented faces 19 which are defined by recessed portions or spaces 20.

The drawing discloses a rotor which has been found to be practical on a six cylinder engine and which has six faces 19 spaced from each other and defining six intermediate spaces or recessed portions 20. The rotor is preferably as long vertically as is practiced and is here shown to be substantially three-quarters of an inch in vertical dimension. This is to provide enlarged contact faces 19 on the rotor, thus eliminating the destruction of the rotor faces by the electric spark and providing a much greater electrical contact area than is found in the conventional circuit breaker mechanisms. The rotor 17 may take the form of a sleeve having a hollow bore as indicated in the drawings wherein it may be axially applied over the conventional cam portion 15 of the distributor shaft and the sleeve may be provided with vertical grooves at 21 to receive the conventional cam ribs and properly position the rotor 17. However, this construction is not necessary to the practice of the invention as the rotor 17 may be applied to the distributor shaft 15 in any manner found suitable, or it may be an integral portion of said shaft. To prevent the rotor from being pressed down on the shaft 15 to a degree where its lower edge would contact the plate 12, We have provided an annular shoulder as at 22, thus vertically positioning the rotor 17 on the shaft 15.

When applying the improved circuit breaker mechanism to the ignition system of a six cylinder internal combustion engine, we have found that the device operates most effectively when each face 19 consumes substantially 39 degrees of the circumference of the rotor, thus leaving 21 degrees for the recesses or spaces 20. This, of course, may vary within limits and still produce the desired circuit interruption. Obviously, when used in other ignition systems for engines having more or less than six cylinders, the rotor 17 will be divided accordingly. For example, in a six cylinder engine, the rotor is divided with each face and one adjoining space consuming 60 degrees, while in an eight cylinder engine, the adjoining face and space or recess will consume 45 degrees.

Inspection of the drawing will show that the trailing edge 19' of each face 19 is undercut to provide a rapidly departing edge and thus further reduce .the tendency to are between the faces 19 and 34.

The second circuit element 18 is somewhat like the conventional cam operated arm in an ignition distributor system, in that it is provided with an arm 23 which is substantially U-shaped in cross section having upper and lower side walls 2424 interconnected by means of rear wall 25. At the inner end the arm is provided with axially aligned bores 26 in the upper and lower side walls 24 and an insulating pivot bushing 27 is inserted in said bores and receives the journal pin 14 to pivotally support the element 18 and yet electrically insulate said element from the distributor 10. At its outer or free end the arm 23 is provided with a second'axially aligned bore or aperture 28 in the upper and lower walls 24 and a removable pivot 29 cooperates with said apertures 28 and pivotally secures a head 30 on the free end of the arm 23. It will be noted that portions of the side walls 24 are bent inwardly to form a stop 31 against which the front edge 32 of the head impinges to properly position the bar 33 relative to the arm 23.

The vertically extending bar 33 of the head 30 has an arcuate face 34 shaped to fit the periphery of the rotor faces 19. The bar 33 is substantially the same length as the rotor 17 and thus provides engagement over the complete longitudinal dimension of faces 19 for making electrical contact.

A tension or return spring 35 is provided with a notch 36 on its outer end to straddle the inner end of insulated bolt 37 which extends through the housing 11 of distributor 10. The wire (not shown) connected to the battery or primary side of the coil may be secured to the outer end of the bolt 37 and thus electrical energy is carried into the distributor through the spring 35 which encircles the insulating pivot bushing 27 and thence bears against the head 30 to apply resilient tension to the arm 23 urging the bar 33 into oontactual engagement with the faces 19 of the rotor 17. It will be noted that the head 30 is provided with a cam face 38 against which the spring 35 bears and in the event the engine should back fire and the rotor should be rotated in the opposite direction, the head may pivot on its pin 29 and flex the spring 35. As the engine is again rotated in the proper direction spring 35 urges the head 30 back to its normal position shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4.

To prevent undue wear on the faces 19 and 34, we provide an arm extension 59 which may be a continuation of the arm 23 as shown and at its end the extension is provided with an insulating block 40 which bears against the peripheral edge 41 of an eccentrically mounted adjusting screw 42. It will thus be seen that by rotating the screw 42 the relative position of face 34 relative to the faces 19 may be accurately adjusted wherein only sufficient pressure is permitted to make electrical connection and thus prevent undue wear of the faces.

We have found in actual practice that the materials used in making the rotor faces 19 and the stator face 34 are of some importance. Materials such as carbon tend to create dust which promotes sparking between the elements and even builds up to a point where complete brealeing of the circuit between the two elements is obviated and therefore, we employ copper or copper alloys which are excellent conductors of electricity and do not create dust during operation. We do not Wish to limit ourselves to the use of any particular metal or combination of metals, but desire that any materials or combination of materials found adequate be included in the scope of this disclosure. Neither do we Wish to unnecessarily limit ourselves to the specific use in relation to an internal combustion engine, but desire the invention to be limited only by the appended claims and the state of the prior art.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A circuit breaker comprising a rotor having a plurality of electrically interconnected oircumferentially spaced radially presented faces alternating with non-conductive areas; a second element having an elongated head disposed to contact said faces and pivotally supported, and resiliently biased at the free end of a metallic arm into engagement with stops carried by the arm; said second named element being of lesser size than the nonconductive areas intermediate said faces, whereby electrical contact is alternately made and broken during rotation of the rotor; an insulating pivot bushing inserted in the arm at the end opposed to said head; a journal supporting said bushing and arm for pivotal movement of its free end away from said rotor, and a return spring biasing said arm toward said rotor.

2. In an internal combustion engine ignition distributor circuit, an axially elongated rotor having a plurality of electrically interconnected circumferentially spaced radially presented elongated faces alternating with recesses and having leading and trailing edges on opposed circumferential margins of said faces; said rotor having a hollow bore provided with axially extending grooves disposed to adapt the rotor for telescopically receiving the cam ribs of a distributor shaft; an annular shoulder in said bore at one end thereof to limit movement of said rotor onto said cam ribs; said faces each being slightly greater circumferentially than each adjacent recess; and said trailing edges being undercut to provide acute angles.

3. In an internal combustion engine ignition distributor oircuit, an axially elongated rotor having a plurality of electrically interconnected circumferentially spaced radially presented elongated faces alternating with recesses and having leading and trailing edges on opposed circumferential margins of said faces; said rotor having a hollow bore adapted to receive a distributor shaft; an annular shoulder in said bore at one end thereof to limit movement of said rotor onto said distributor shaft; means for securing said rotor against relative axial rotation with respect to a distributor shaft; said faces each being slightly greater circumferentially than each adjacent recess; and said trailing edges being undercut to provide acute angles.

4. In an internal combustion engine ignition distributor circuit, including a rotor having a plurality of electrically interconnected circumferentially spaced radially presented faces alternating with non-conductive areas, a stator for cooperation with said rotor comprising an arm adapted to be pivotally supported axially parallel to said rotor and insulated therefrom; a head journaled on said arm spaced from its pivotal connection and on an axis parallel to the axis of said rotor; said head including a vertically extending bar having a concave cylindrical face adapted to cooperate with the faces of said rotor; said arm having a stop to limit rotation of said head in one direction; and spring means associated with said head adapted for anchoring relative to said distributor for simultaneously urging said stator face into cooperation with said rotor faces and biasing said head toward said stop.

5. In an internal combustion engine ignition distributor circuit, including a rotor having a plurality of electrically interconnected circumferentially spaced radially presented faces alternating with non-conductive areas, a stator for cooperation with said rotor comprising an arm adapted to be pivotally supported axially parallel to said rotor and insulated therefrom; a head journaled on said arm spaced from its pivotal connection and on an axis parallel to the axis of said rotor; said head including a vertically extending bar having a concave cylindrical face adapted to cooperate with the faces of said rotor; said arm having a stop to limit rotation of said head in one direction; spring means associated with said head adapted for anchoring relative to said distributor for simultaneously urging said stator face into cooperation with said rotor faces and biasing said head toward said stop; and an arm extension on the free end of said arm for hearing against an adjustment screw to adjust said head faces toward and away from said rotor faces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,137,610 Hall Apr. 27, 1915 1,276,110 Rasmussen Aug. 20, 1918 2,401,419 Ford June 4, 1946 2,483,115 Wall Sept. 27, 1949 2,510,067 Callander June 6, 1950 2,594,447 Kerr Apr. 29, 1952 

